The Professional: Prologue
How often have we heard this Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, and what does it really mean? I’ve often heard people describe their career path as if they were traveling long distances, moving from place to place, sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively. I didn’t realize how true that statement was until I looked back over my career and thought about the places I’ve been and the companies I’ve worked for. My encounters with major moments in business history were sometimes obvious at the time, sometimes only clear in hindsight. This memoir is not just a recounting but a deep reflection on my career journey, featuring stories that are sometimes tragic and occasionally hilarious, filled with personal anecdotes and experiences that I hope will spark your interest in that golden era.
Time, a dimension of its own, acts as a redeemer. It heals, mends, and evolves. It possesses a circular quality, sometimes guiding us back to our roots. Things may change, but our core remains constant. It’s a paradox, yet also true. One thing that has truly evolved is my perspective and approach to life. Still, at my core, I am the same person I have always been, just with the added perspective of time. Could this be wisdom?
This is the story of my career, its evolution, and the influences that shaped it, including my father and business mentors. It’s a tale of successes, setbacks, revelations, and pivotal moments that have defined the investment industry, including the mutual fund revolution and the rise of independent investment advice.
Although my writing focuses on people, companies, and the risks I took to make a living, my story also includes personal experiences that have influenced my career. I kept these non-career experiences to a minimum and included them only if they had a profound impact. Perhaps they will be the subject of my next story.
I have witnessed and participated in the most revolutionary era in business, spanning the 1990s and the subsequent two decades that followed. These thirty years of business history will indeed be studied and looked upon nostalgically by some and with disdain by others. I look upon these decades as my career. In discussing one’s career, you must start with what got you there in the first place and who and what shaped your perspective at the start of the race before the gun sounds.